TfL Proposes New Taxi Licence Regulations

Leaked documents reveal proposed tough new regulations suggested by TfL. It may soon curb all Uber taxi and vehicle hire users in the nation's capital city.

LONDON LICENCE: It is a potential threat to taxi and rideshare schemes in London.

The new rules' proposals came as a shock and disappointment to one London's most lucrative business startups - Uber car ordering app.

Minimum Wait Time Rules

What would happen even when taxis and vehicle hires are readily available? Uber taxi users might get forced to wait 5 minutes for their ride if the new transport regulations go ahead.

Leaked documents hint they may also incur a minimum wait time. Details put forward in the new rules could also impact city wide taxis and private hire vehicles. If new Tfl proposals become law, there may be other restrictive features for cab users in city.

The TfL draft documents indicate that:

Extra rulings may introduce a law banning apps from showing the position of cars immediately for hire nearby.

Pre-booking cars up to seven days in advance should be within the regulations.

Fare estimates may soon get made as mandatory.

Sharing rides with other passengers and changing destinations could become illegal.

There may be a requirement for cab drivers to pass English language tests.

Taxi operators must have a fixed telephone landline to accept travel bookings.

The Transport for London has become a hot button issue of cab regulation. It has already caused a series of protests by black cab drivers throughout the year. The regional manager for Uber United Kingdom commented on the issue. He said:

"These bureaucratic new rules will not improve your ride. The aim addresses the concerns of 'black cab' drivers. The drivers feel under pressure from increased competition.

But, the answer is to reduce the onerous regulations cabbies face today. They should not increase them for everyone else."

Transport for London New Role?

Transport for London's initial consultation attracted thousands of responses during the summer months. It could now pave the way for an increased oversight of the industry by TfL before the end of 2015. That might include:

Note: Transport for London did not respond or comment at the time of the publication.

Updated Information: September 2017

Transport for London rejected Uber application to renew their licence. TfL based the rejection on Uber not being a 'fit and proper' private car hire operator. Even so, the latest estimates suggest Uber has 3.5 million users.

Stripping Uber of its London licence came as a surprise move to most. It dealt a serious blow to one of the fastest rising companies from Silicon Valley. It also sparked an outcry from some government ministers, a coalition of customers, and the drivers at the ride-hailing company.

Uber has a licence to operate until the 30th of September 2017. The company plans to challenge the ruling by London transport authority through the courts. That means the firm can continue to operate in the capital until it exhausts the appeals process.